Frozen In Time
by Massive Times
Summary: "THE BOOGEYMAN WILL RETURN!" they said, but did they know how? Thinking that he will stay captured in his cage is foolish, and now he is not only here to conquer the world of nightmares, but also the darkness of shadows. But will the guardians protect the entire world with the help of a new member or will they be consumed by murky dens in every corner?
1. Chapter 1

His footsteps clacked in the murky vacant room. Only a single beam of moonlight managed to open the space with luminosity. The globe shone into Sandman's amber eyes. It was only a moment before the boogeyman's face came into his view. He sat listlessly in his cage which hung from the ceiling. Sandy watched him closely, his breath was heavy but tranquil, his limbs unmoving, and his fiend eyes were shut. Sandman heaved a sigh of relief and turned his back to him. The ear-splitting sound of a manic laugh whipped into the silence of the room.

"What a nice day to see you again old friend." Pitch said. Sandman's eyes viciously glared at him.

"Sandy my friend, please be honest and tell me, do you really think you can keep me here forever?" Pitch asked, smiling slyly. He nodded back reflecting Pitch's cunningness.

"We'll just have to see." He grinned, suddenly clenched his fist. The globe behind Sandy instantly flooded with black dust and broke it into tiny pieces of glass. The boogeyman's chortle echoed once again. The sandman turned his golden cloud of sand into a whip and slashed the cage, which caught the boogeyman's finger.

"OW!" He said sucking at his finger. "You'll just have to wait till we're frozen in time. Then we'll see who will rule the world. Not you, you're coward _guardians_ or even the Man on The Moon can shield the world from fear. No one!"

He laughed again, but the Sandman uncared for him and left listlessly.

"When we're frozen in time— that's when you'll see."


	2. Chapter 2

They stood like reflections. Their eyes met in solid calculating glares. He had sea blue eyes while she had icy grey eyes. He titled his head to a side and examined closely at the dark color of her skin, her short turquoise hair, and that cunning glare that explained she barely cared. Everyone crowded around them hoping Jack would have made his hypotenuse.

"I'm pretty sure she's not my sister." He finally said. Everyone sighed in relief.

"Then how do you explain this?" Tooth asked pointing at the frozen Yeti.

"Guys, you've been on this for an hour now. It really doesn't matter, honestly!" She said holding her book up to her chest.

"Doesn't matter? Have you gone mad? The Man on The Moon sent you to us so that we can train you to be a good guardian yet we still can't figure out what your purpose is." Santa said motioning his elves to move the Yeti out of the way. There was a swarm of the red hooded elves to finish the job.

"If you can freeze a Yeti, I'm sure you're somehow related to Jack. I can feel it in my wings." Tooth said enthusiastically.

"Great, another one of him is all we need." Bunnymund added on.

"Maybe you should talk to the Man on The Moon one more time." Tooth continued. The elves stacked and trampled on one another to pull the lever. The ceiling in the centre of the crowded room opened unhurriedly. The rays of moonlight filled in the illuminated room, but its tint was rather tranquil and soulful. Jack used his staff to push the new guardian forward. Her grey eyes trailed into the cloudless sky and stared at the enormous moon. The light focused on her. She swallowed the lump in her throat. Her eyes filled with wonder. Her lips quivered.

"Well? Is he saying anything?" Jack murmured under his breath.

"He's saying—he's saying"

"What is he saying?" Bunny whispered.

"He's saying- nothing." She muttered slouching into her posture. Everyone groaned and heaved a sigh. She just went back into her little corner at the windowsill and gazed at the infinite white blanket of the North Pole. Everyone's head turned towards her, pity in their eyes and soreness in their body.

"Aw come on, maybe tomorrow right?" Jack tried coaxing while Sandy used his sand to speak.

"Tomorrow! Tomorrow? How can you stand another day of this mess?" She retorted. They exchanged gazes and shrugged at her.

"Don't worry, the Man on The Moon knows what's best. He'll talk soon." Tooth barged in.

"That's what you all have been saying but it's been nearly a week now. Every day I stand under him and hope he'll answer, but he never does. I don't even know my own name for God sakes!"

"But we're getting close aren't we? We figured out much about your personality and that you can shoot ice from your fingertips!" Santa reassured.

"But what is that worth? I don't know how to control my abilities and all I have is this stupid book."

"Oh no! This is no ordinary book you find every day! This book is what everyone's lives depend on. It's the book of Life." He broke off, sighed and fingered the hard cover. "Even if I have completely no idea what it is about—I'm sure it's important."

She groaned and slouched back into the windowsill.

"Alright, we'll name you if that makes you feel any better." Bunnymund whined trying to be comforting.

"Why don't we call her baby tooth?" Toothina squealed in excitement.

"You have thousands of baby tooths. Why don't we just choose a nice name from the Santa's nice list?" Jack requested. The elves brought the entire list of names of good children. The list literally rolled out through the open door and over a hill of snow and went on as far as eye could see.

"The nicest child's name is... Marcus!" Santa bellowed. The new guardian heaved a sigh and sunk in the ground trying to prove her point of being useless and incredibly bored.

"How about—Beverly?" Tooth asked. Everyone looked up with grins and smirks on their faces. Everyone's eyes were fixed perfectly on her.

"OH FINE!" She shouted pulling her woolen hat over her face.

"It doesn't matter if the Man on The Moon doesn't reply; we'll figure things out on our own." Tooth reassured her.

"That means you get less freedom, less fun and more responsibilities and chores." Jack teased.

"Well isn't that fun?" Bunnymund added on.


	3. Chapter 3

The little red hooded elves swarmed, goofing around and barely finishing the presents as they were told to. Jack Frost noticed that within the seconds but Santa was busy praising his workers jobs to Beverly. The tiny critters ran around, acting as though they were busy when the guardians walked by.

"I bet somehow we'll figure out what's truly inside using your creativity. Christmas is lurking in the corner and the yetis and elves have worked no more than day and night." He exclaimed in delight, pushing the doors open.

The ear-splitting chaos that once echoed in the entire hall went completely dead silent. The elves frozen in their spots, as though caught in a crime, stared at the guardians. It was as though hell let loose in the room. Food was thrown on the brightly painted walls and they seemed to be in a brawl. Just as Santa was about to open his mouth and shout, an elf shrieked in terror. Apparently it was being chased by a toy monkey on a unicycle across the room. Strange enough the chattering resumed but this time they went straight back to work on their cue.

"Working day and night, yep I can totally see that." Jack snickered. Beverly had already seen this place but not when it was this hectic. It was though she had to watch her every step so that she wouldn't crush the little critters under her feet.

"Sorry. Oh sorry. I didn't mean to—uh sorry again!" Beverly repeated.

"Want some help?" Jack asked with a sly smile rolling over his lips. Instantly the new guardian knew what he was about to do.

"Jack, no—no Jack. Don't you dare!" But before she finished yelling at him, her feet rose above the ground.

Her stomach slightly convulsed in the abrupt airborne experience. She held tightly onto her hardcover book and tried to hold her barf inside from all the spinning that Jack made her do. Just as they got to Santa's own little workshop, Jack carelessly dropped her making her fall face first onto the couch.

"GET ME DOWN NOW!" She yelled before she hit the couch. She lazily picked her head up out of pillow and shot a bitter death glare at him. Sanderson giggled shrugging his shoulder as the two guardians' eyes had a stare down.

"I hate you." Beverly mouthed under her breath. Jack stuck out his tongue immodestly.

Santa flicked the lights on, and within the mere second, the Christmas lights immediately flashed in complete sync. They all flickered in vibrant colors and filled the room with such a delight of a soulful atmosphere. Beverly's grey eyes stole the glimmering light as she stared at the glorious creations the Santa Claus had made on his own. They were sculpted in pure ice. The kind of crystalline ice you would find shooting from Jack's staff.

"This is lovely!" Tooth exclaimed finally letting her feet reach the ground unhurriedly.

"So this is what you wanted to show me?" Beverly asked towing herself to her roots and stared to examine closely at the precisely carved statues. The light reflecting off them was as though these lifeless figurines had an aura of some sort and the colors truly did match the scenery.

"This is what I wanted to show you, but this is what I wanted you to do." Santa said directing her towards the elves.

The guardians knew exactly what was to be expected from her. They gave her wood, paint, knives and tools to make a toy, just one toy. She worked endlessly, listlessly staring at the blank oddly shaped wood. They all fell asleep next to her work place. She didn't speak at all. The sun rose again and the chatters of elves once again filled the enormous room outside. Santa rubbed his eyes and threw his arm across his face dimming the sunrays that pierced his eyes. He swung his legs over the couch and fixed the sleeves of his shirt before noticing the new guardian still carving the same piece of wood. There were dark bags under her eyes and her head ever so often bobbed.

"So let's see what this magnificent toy is." Santa said snatching it from her hand.

"It looks like a watch." Tooth guessed looking over the big man's brood shoulders.

"I think it looks like a rubber duck," Bunnymund added on.

"A wooden ducky," Jack edited.

"It's supposed to be a ballerina." Beverly sighed, dropping her hand down at the table, exhausted.

"Oh—well- I can see a—ballerina." Santa answered fingering the poorly engineered toy.

"You made me do this much work for free labor!" Beverly murmured still face flat on the table.

"Get some rest. We'll get down to business tomorrow." Toothina reassured. They left her alone in the room and turned the lights as they went.

"I knew she was never an elf." Jack said mockingly.

"What are we going to do now?" Toothina asked directing the question to Santa.

"We'll just have to wait." He replied, his voice drenched in dullness.


	4. Chapter 4

"Oh my gosh! This is so exciting; I bet you'll never see a place like this in your entire life!" Tooth fairy said eagerly heaving at the newest guardian.

"So what are you going to make me do at your palace?" Beverly asked trying to release Tooth's grasp on her wrist.

"That's only to be told when we get there!" She said roughly pushing her forward.

Dragging her feet on the floor, she came to a complete end. Her heart throbbed against her chest and breath was almost a forgotten task. The lukewarm serene daylight glistened above the horizon and peeked through the golden cage like palace. Colorless was an atrocious lie to depict what Beverly was seeing. An entire world of petite hummingbirds perkily buzzing endlessly and zipping past one another as though there were no traffic or chaos in the way they moved; they're little wings were flapping as fast as eye could see. Their colors were nearly as vibrant as the rainbow at the end of a storm, maybe even more. They were small, tinier than the guardian's hands. Feathers ever so habitually floated to the golden flooring. Just above the roofless mountain was nothing but hanging chambers with drawers, where Earth's children's teeth are collected. In the arms of the puny hummingbirds, they held white cleansed teeth and threw them into them.

"So what do you think?" Tooth whispered into Beverly's ear.

"It's—it's nice." She replied listlessly trying not to express too many emotions. "Very nice."

"Nice?" Tooth asked slightly not satisfied with her response. "Well –as- as long as you like it."

"Well come on now!" Jack shouted pushing her down the cliff, hoping she would fall like before, but somehow she managed to slide to the ground without being kicked off her feet.

There was a noise of metal rolling; she looked down to find a small tube which at the end had a drawing of a little human boy, who strangely looked like a youthful side of Santa. She knew it couldn't be him, given that he had brown hair when he was younger and the human boy had red hair. The tubes were as marvellously gold as the palace, which from far away it could be doubted to be gold and once close enough you would rage thinking you were tricked.

"What's this?" She asked looking up at millions of piles of the same tubes she had in her hand.

"This is where we keep the children's memories. My little fairies and I watch over the kids and when they need their most precious memories, we give it to them." Tooth explained in a more relaxed tone.

"Memories? Can I see it?" Beverly asked.

"Only the child who owns the memories can see it." Bunnymund answered.

"You can see yours though!" Tooth exclaimed hurriedly searching around for Beverly's tube.

"That's how we'll figure out how you're a guardian! Great idea!" Santa said running into the piles and rummaging around.

"Wait no—"

"FOUND IT!" Jack yelled sliding down to Beverly finished. Everyone grabbed it out of his hand wanting to see Beverly's human version, but eventually Sanderson took it and bowed as he held it out to the girl. She hesitated. Her eyes traced the portrait of the girl with black hair, dark toned, and childish face. In the drawing, she wasn't that old approximately seventeen but the shape of her brown eyes made it seem as though she were three years younger. Temptations lingered. Her chest rose and fell as the time cope to consume her desires. Beverly's hand reached for it but then she drew back.

"What's wrong? Aren't you going to see your memories?" Toothina asked.

"I don't want to." Beverly sighed facing her back to the guardians.

"Don't want to? Are you crazy?" Jack raged. "You can finally figure out what your purpose as a guardian is and you don't want to?"

"Memories are sometimes meant to be in the past."

"But it can be good too." Toothina added on.

"Good as in motivations for the future, but sometimes memories can lead into revenge. I don't want to risk anything."

Everyone went silent and Sanderson dropped his hand to his side. They exchanged pitiful gazes at one another. She sat at the edge of the floating ground, with her legs hanging off the edge. She gazed at the waterfalls that rumbled under her.

"So you'd rather not know why you're a guardian?" Toothina asked sitting beside, mimicking her posture. The new guardian nodded speechlessly.

"Your choice." The tooth fairy sighed returning to the rest of the guardians.

Beverly couldn't tell anyone, but she knew her past. Her dreams told her. She was a joyful orphan that waited for a family to take her for years and years. She believed in Santa, she believed in the Tooth fairy, she believed in Jack Frost, she believed in every single guardian but they never showed themselves to her. Every Christmas, she helped the orphans put up the trees and vibrant lights and when they all woke up, they had presents left under the tree, mostly drawings from the others. They never got toys, and all the children knew that the fat man across the street always dressed up as Santa. When Beverly lost her tooth and kept it under her pillow, she knew that the Mrs. Jane kept that gold coin under her there. Even though she had been betrayed by her childish fantasies, she knew one day she'll have a family and she did, but turning into a guardian took that love away within the mere second of having her own parents.


	5. Chapter 5

The guardians returned to the North Pole before evening was at its way. No one spoke about the Beverly's decision and although Jack seemed quite distressed at a point, he was the most eager to show Beverly about what he does. Of course, as the guardian of fun his orientation was going to be quite a unique one for sure. He made sure the snow was light in the North Pole and the wind was strong and powerful. The bare trees were caked with blankets of snow and frost, which looked like flora designs, glimmered in the radiance the Man on the Moon shared.

"Please try not to kill me." Beverly said yanking her feet through the intensely dense snow.

"Depends on how well we get along." Jack teased. There they were, nearly a kilometre from the ground. The sky was shadowy and the breeze was bitter and ghastly. The icy gust ran down Beverly's black furry jacket leaving prickles of goose bumps on her spine.

"Why are we outside?" She asked peeking over the edge of the cliff. "And why are we so high up?"

"Trail number one." Jack replied in an echoing voice as though on a PA in an airplane.

"What are you talking about?"

"All you have to do is jump off the cliff." Jack simply said. The guardian's eyes widened.

"I knew you were trying to murder me." She replied aggravation drenched in her accent.

"Suits for you." Jack answered thumping the bottom of his G-shaped staff to the ground which instantaneously created ice under the girl's feet. Her eyes shot open within the second of noticing. She lost her footing and snaked on her unstable feet. Jack Frost watched with a sly smile over his face as the new guardian nearly fell off the bridge.

"JACK! JACK HELP ME!" She yelled trying to grab the invisible ladder as she tipped over the edge. She was struggling to stay up but she seemed to never fall. Jack walked up to her casually and used his staff to knock her down.

"AAHAHHH JACKKK!" She screamed as she fell. Her stomach was flipping and every breath tried to chock her. She tried not to look down but her temptations were just to do so. She closed her eyes, chanting _'I'm gonna die, I'm gonna die, I'm gonna die?'_

She landed with a thump that wounded her chest more than anything. Her limbs were quivering with frostbites and her eyes pierced with pain as the wind harshly made contact with them. She looked down to find herself still flying and she had landed on Jack Frost's back. He looked back with cunning smile on his face which only faded with her glare.

"Why you little—"

But before she could finish he flew at full speed with the wind's current. He went so high up that everything she ate was churning inside her.

"How are you enjoying it so far?" He yelled which was drowned by the sound of the thunderous wind.

"NOOOOO!" She yelled as they spun like a tornado towards the ground.

The door aggressively slammed open as the two guardians came inside to the lukewarm mansion.

"So how was the lesson?" Santa bellowed.

"She loved it!" Jack answered enthusiastically. Just a few steps behind, Beverly walked drunkenly, her head spun dramatically and even her serene eyes seemed to be rolling back into her head ever so frequently.

"So?" Toothina asked approaching her.

"Give me a second!" Beverly bellowed holding her mouth and racing into the second room across theirs. From where they stood, they heard her gag persistently. Everyone winced in foul disgust to the horrendous noise she made. She came back moaning and groaning, looking as miserable as she once was. Jack was the most staggered to see her like this, he assumed she was having as much fun as he did. He didn't mean to do anything to harm her.

"Are you okay?" Tooth asked, worried in her tone. She just nodded massaging the sides of her face in her palms as Santa's elves handed a warm cup of hot chocolate. Noises went dead as she took the glass in her hand. She stared listlessly at the ground and took a sip. Everyone was breathless to see her blink away her unwanted tears.

"Aye mate, you ought a cheer up." Bunnymund said sitting beside her on the windowsill.

"Yeah, everything will be fine, we'll figure things out." Tooth fairy added on reassuringly.

"NO!" The new guardian yelled across the room. Everyone was flabbergasted by her wretchedness. "I'm sorry, but I want some time on my own. I just need to clear my mind before I'm ready to do anything else."

Speechless was the right time to describe the guardians. Beverly seized her jacket and took off towards the door, walking through the small path the elves and yetis made.

"What's going to happen now?" Tooth asked. Sanderson drew a question mark over his head with his dream sand and shrugged his shoulders.

"I'm sure she's not angry at us." Jack answered, but the thud of Beverly slamming the door caught their attention. "She's angry." He corrected himself.


	6. Chapter 6

The new guardian took a reindeer with the assistance of a yeti. No one tagged along with her, troubled that she might freeze them like that one day. The wind speed had settled and the snow was light when she landed in the middle of the abandoned forest. She wanted to be far away from everyone—especially Jack. She hated him, hated him from the coldest part of her heart. She just found unnecessary jealously towards him. Maybe it was because he has children calling his name out, maybe because he has purpose, or maybe because he's a guardian. Beverly felt as though she was bipolar and maybe psychotic when she gets tremendously angry. She just wants to tear his head off and throw it across to the other side of the world.

"I must have been happier when I was a human." She muttered to herself, sitting on the snow bank across the natural ice rink.

She sighed staring at the ice when she noticed a reflection that was a familiar enemy of hers. The moon seemed so large from this point. The sky was cloudless and the trees seemed to open the dome perfectly fit for the moon's shape.

"Is this why I'm a guardian, to endure pain?" She asked hoping for a reply, a reply with his deep reassuring voice. Nothing but the bitter breeze answered. "Why don't you ever reply to me? Why is it that you only answer the guardians and never me? Is there a sin I did? Am I not worthy of being a guardian?"

The moon only seemed to grow larger in her misted eyes.

"No one ever cared about you. Why the heck should I care?" She murmured to herself shoving her face into her crossed arms. The bells of reindeer startled her. She caught its frightened gaze when it galloped back.

"What's wrong with you?" she asked irritated.

"Ava help me! Ava!" A cunning voice whispered into the gust of icy wind. Her eyes searched around the empty forest for the source of the voice.

"Ava help me!" It repeated, this time it seemed more precise of where it was coming from. There was a broken wooden bed right across the ice. She tried to keep her balance and skated towards the other end, just slipping twice and falling to her rump just once.

She crawled to the end and curiously examined the bed.

"Ava? Are you there?" The voice called towards her from the strange hole underneath the bed. She pushed the bed aside leaving markings on the snow.

"Hello?" Her voice echoed into the deep hole. She knelt down beside the hole and squint her eyes trying to let them adjust to the darkness but it was pitch black inside.

"Did someone call for help?" She shouted again into the hole.

"Help me! I'm stuck! Come down and help me! Please I'm scared!" The little girl cried.

"Wait, let me get something to tow you out." Beverly said getting back to her feet, but before she could run something grabbed her ankles. Its clench was a hard and cold as ice.

"GET OFF OF ME! AAAHHHH!" Her voice drowned as she was dragged into the murky widened hole.

She landed on her chest again but this time, it was like something stabbed her. She got to her bottom and pulled her hardcover book from inside her jacket, out. Although her chest was aching in pain, the book was unquestionably in perfect shape.

"Oh that hurt." She said to herself rubbing her chest. She realized she was in pure darkness now, only the slight bit off light casted her shadow on the wall.

"Hey, little girl? Are you still here, or did you find a way out already?" She called softly into the room, as though she didn't want to disturb anyone.

"Ava." A whisper echoed into the room and bounced between her eardrums. She shot a gaze over her shoulder expecting someone to be there.

"Little—g-girl?" She stuttered.

There was something murky and shadowy behind her. She felt its presence. She kept turning around trying to catch it in action. Her breath was shallow and her palms begun to sweat. She thought herself to be one of those survivors in horror movies from the way her heart noticeably throbbed against her ribs.

"Ava Timesman, what a pleasure to see you." A voice bellowed behind her.

"Ava who?" She asked turning to face the stranger. His eyes prominently lurked in the shadows. The clacks of his shoes reverberated as he came out of his the darkness, presenting his actual appearance than a silhouette. He wore a long dark robe with a v-neck cut. His hair neatly combed back which ended as sharp spikes. His skin was pale grey, nearly the same color as the guardian's eyes. His eyes though, were glimmering gold with a sinister glare to it.

"Ava Timesman. That's your name." He answered, charmingly yet serenely keeping his eyes half open.

"How are you so sure that's my name?" She asked trying to figure out who this familiar stranger was.

"The Man on the Moon told me." He said with his arms locked together behind his back.

"He talked to you?" She inquired, shocked.

"He talks to everyone, but he faintly hesitates to talk to you." He paused letting his eyes wander around her. "He told me all about you. We were meant to meet."

"What did he tell you?"

"Your past, why you became a guardian and—what your purpose is." He answered, stressing on the word purpose as though he wanted to drain all thought from her. She stopped listening a moment after, his shadow which a strange figure that the guardians had told about before. Her jaw dropped open.

"I know who you are!" She retorted.

"Oh really?" He asked with his eyebrow raised as he begun to circle around her.

"Pitch Black, the nightmare king."

"Also known as the Boogeyman." He smugly corrected her.

"All you do is frighten children with your black dust and give them nightmares till dawn breaks." She paused catching his scheming gaze. "You're cunning, sly, witty and—seductive."

"Seductive?" He chortled, freezing at his spot in front of her. "I haven't heard that one before. Which guardian told you that one?" He playfully asked stepping close to her.

"I don't need anyone to tell me that you are." She whispered as he came closer.

"Am I really?" He replied repeating in her voice, reflecting her emotions. She felt herself jerk as she hit the wall. He was still getting closer and closer as she was locked in her position. She shut her eyes in awe before seeping through the wall. She gasped for air realizing that she was now in a different part of the boogeyman's liar. She sighed in relief.

"That was a neat trick." He whispered into her ear, catching her off guard.

"I didn't know I could do that myself." She replied. She was speechless to meet his eyes again. "I know you have to hurry on before the guardians look for you but I have a little gift I'd like to give."

He ran his fingers ran down the back of her neck, which let his black nightmare sand to sink into her skin. She winced in his tender contact. It felt as though he barely touched her but she felt his velvet skin.

"Now if you need to find me again—you know exactly where to look." He bellowed returning back the shadows, his eyes being the last to fade away.

She wanted to follow him and ask him more but his guess was right. Maybe the guardians were worried sick because of her. It was best she returned.


	7. Chapter 7

The rasp of the door silenced everyone from the elves, to the Yetis and the guardians. Her turquoise hair peeked through the door and that was enough for everyone to heave a sigh in relief. The all froze when she made herself entirely into the room. She didn't have the guts to match gazes with anyone but the stillness killed her desires. Her eyes ran through every row of creatures and once they met Santa's, her eyes down casted. She was not reluctant nor was she stubborn like before, she was terrified, terrified that if anyone knew who she had met they'd punish her. Her skin fumed not only to the sudden heat but from the anxiety of being watched so closely, that they'll predict what had happened.

"Beverly," Tooth whispered under her breath before throwing herself in the guardian's arm. "Where did you go?"

"I had—to be by myself for awhile." She stammered.

Tooth and the guardians sat her down and comforted her as though she was gone for weeks. The elves, once again treated her with a cup of hot chocolate and all of Santa's critters withdrew from the room to give them time to lecture on their own. As they one by one handed things to her, Sanderson reformed his sand as a blanket and covered her. She jerked once the sand touched her skin, reminding her of the boogeyman's black sand. She realized that Bunnymund had watched her reaction. He strained his eyes to indicate he had noticed.

"Well take some rest. Don't wonder off anymore." Tooth reminded teasingly leading the guardians out.

"Aye mate, you doing alright there?" He asked in his strong accent. She thought she would have somehow blabber it out but she denied the temptations.

"I'm doing fine." She answered listlessly. He nodded to show that he heard and walked off with the others, who patiently left the room with the small lamp light on. She stared out her windowsill. The cold winter frost on the window gave goose bumps as she leaned against it. There was completely no light outside as far as she could see, the snow was pale but somehow was the enlightened the darkness. Her eyes were droopy and out of rhythmic blinks. She knew her limbs were aching from the flight but she just wanted to stare at the infinite winter season outside.

"Why do I feel so lost?" She murmured to herself noticing how lonesome she was even if everyone was right outside her door. She saw the light flickering underneath her door and how it reflected into the canvass of her window. She took the useless book she carries and placed it down on the stool Santa had left beside her couch. Darkness was slowly creeping inside her, nerves were bursting and limbs were aching from the misery.

He was a foreigner to grief and therefore fate cursed him. The sky was gloomy and shadowy clouds dispersed leaving the radiant sun's luminosity to subside. Although the days were darkened with fear, the warriors' hearts were gold and courageous, that is why they named the era the Golden Age. During those years warriors captured Fearlings, which are sinister and hideous shadow like creatures. The hero's name is Kozmotis Pitchiner. He volunteered at the prison planet where the evil Fearlings had been captured.

He walks by his locker every now and then, and when he gets the chance he would open it and look at the picture of his daughter, Emily Jane Pitchiner. He traced his fingers over it as though his hands would hold his daughter's long narrow face. The Fearlings knew his desires and took it as an advantage to escape into the world once again. He stood outside the chamber with his glimmering black armour and watched over the shadow devils.

"Dad? Daddy! Help me! I'm stuck in here!" A sweet child's voice whimpered from behind. The voice was familiar, the tone rung in his head.

"Emily?" He murmured unsure.

"Daddy! Please, they're hurting me! Get me out of here daddy!" She cried. Fear buzzed bouncing through each ear drum.

"Emily!" He called back to her bloodcurdling scream. He threw his shield to the ground and he turned the metal chamber locks. The clack of the last lock unbolting echoed through the empty halls which instantly caught the attention of another guard who patrolled the hallway.

"NO KOZMOTIS! NOO!" He screamed running towards him as fast as his long thick legs could take him, but it was too late.

The Fearlings raced and wrapped around Kozmotis body, his limbs boiled, his nerves burst and his bones shattered in the force and pressure they put onto his frail mortal body. He clenched his fist rigidly trying to beat pass their force. He opened his mouth to scream but the Fearlings entered into his body and not a single cry came out of him. He stood briefly struggling yet accepting the shadow creatures' offer. He was utterly covered by these ominous creatures and nothing was to fight against the wretchedness. They slowly and painful destroyed every human texture of him and instantly unwrapped making for their escape. His skin misted to a pale ash grey tone, his eyes blurred to a silver-gold color which was much alike to an eclipse. As the Fearlings flew into the hell like atmosphere, he dropped to ground listlessly blinking his vision to complete darkness.

"Kozmotis! Don't leave—"

Before his fellow escort finished, Kozmotis was utterly lifeless.


	8. Chapter 8

Jack poked his head into the dimmed room, searching around to reveal that the new guardian was still deep in her slumber. He gently placed his bare feet onto the hardwood floor which instantly creaked.

"Jack I think this isn't the right thing to do." Tooth whispered loud enough to be heard.

"Don't worry. We'll just take a quick look at her book and leave. I'm sure it'll tell us something about her." He answered.

"Jack your too loud." She muttered forcefully.

"Shhh." He hushed her with his cold palm blocking her mouth. After the mere second of turning back, her cheeks reddened and she combed her feathers back.

They grabbed the book and went back outside. The book was heavy for what he had imagined. It had flora designs on one side while in the center of the entire book was a golden watch. The book barely fit on his one forearm that he struggled to open it. Although Tooth hesitated she peeked over his shoulder to catch a glimpse of the pages. There was a boy, messy brown haired, serene chocolate brown eyes, and a juvenile grin that brought childhood to settle in his face. His small brooded shoulders were draped with a short brown cape and his legs were covered with long winter worthy pants.

"Jack?" Tooth asked realizing who it was.

"A-a book about—me?" He stuttered.

"Let me see,"Toothina said grabbing the book out of his hands. Blinding radiant silver light shone from the pages and it instantly vanished.

Now there was a little girl, feathers as skin and wings as other pair feet, she was the daughter of Haroom and Rashmi. Instead of hair she has feathers that are stylized to go upward and she has long droopy feathers on her back which makes it look like she's wearing a skirt. She has mystical violet eyes and tanned skin.

"I don't get it." She whispered, her eyes misting, her feathers ruffling and her voice crackling. She floated to her knees and put the book down on the ground. "It's changing to whoever touches it."

"What do you think it is?" Jack asked sitting beside her.

"Maybe the next page will tell us." She said flipping over.

"What are you doing?" Beverly fiercely asked. They froze on their spots caught red handed.

"Uh- I think you dropped this." Tooth answered handing her the book. The guardian seized the book violently and returned to her room, slamming the door behind her.

Tooth's eyebrows knitted to a frown as her eyes down casted. Jack, who was just as upset, caught her arm as she listlessly floated away.

"Where you going?" He asked.

"Well there's nothing for me to do here." She retorted.

"Shouldn't we read the rest of the book?" He muttered pulling her.

"No! I knew this was a bad idea from the start Jack."

"So you're just going to leave that book behind. Aren't you curious to know what else it says about us?" He inquired.

"Yes I am, but we'll know eventually what's going on. It's just a matter of patience. I have to go now."

She left before his second blink. There he was alone, tempted to read the rest.

"I've gotta know what it is." He whispered to himself. He tiptoed and held his staff up on his shoulder, the only place where it can't make such noise.

He managed to poke his eye into the small opening the wooden door had left. He saw her throwing on her blankets and slumping into her pillow. She gracefully turned the pages as light slightly brightened her face. Her eyes grew wide. Suddenly the door pulled of an ear-splitting creak that was more than just obvious. Her head swung towards the winter spirits direction. Although she could not clearly see him, she knew he was there.

"I'm not that stupid Jack, I know your there!" She called tossing the door open. It was dark, just the light from the end of the narrow hall helped her see. She shrill thought reminded her of the darkness that attack Kozmotis when he was invaded by those dark, murky, shadowy, sinister Fearlings. The night had broken into a bright morning day in the North Pole, yet Beverly had no sleep since her nightmare.


	9. Chapter 9

Nearly half the day was unspoken of, Christmas was closing on the critters of the North Pole and work was all they did. Beverly slept like a ghost in her room, catching up on the sleep she had lost over the hours of darkness. Sandman ever so often peeked into her room taking the words of Jack thinking she might be dead. The room was illuminated by the fading rays of sunlight. The walls were covered in children's letters to the presents they got. Although it was perfectly covered in black and white sheets of papers the bright red wallpaper managed to catch the eyes quicker than the other objects of the room. There she slept, tightly cluttered against the windowsill with her entire body covered by the thick blanket. He sighed in relief and returned back to the guardians who were carried on their business ignoring his return.

"Is she alright, mate?" Bunnymund asked leaning over the short guardian. The guardian grinned and shook his head enthusiastically.

"Don't worry Jack, there's nothing she can hide." North exclaimed to the Winter Spirit.

"Then why doesn't she let us look in her book?" Jack asked furiously blocking him.

"Jack, everyone is protective over things and I'm sure that's the same issue with her. But you know what's funny though? She reminds me of Katherine." Tooth added on.

"You mean the Guardian of Storytelling? She has a book too right?" Jack inquired leaning onto his staff.

"Yeah, she reviles the past and she writes about everyone's journey. You don't think that Beverly's book has to do with that?"

"No don't be silly! Each guardian has a specific purpose that they, only, can do." North answered. "Don't be stressing over things like this. Manny will take care of this and we're here to support her. Understood Jack?"

"Yeah I know,"he muttered.

As the sun died off into the horizon of the North Pole, Jack knew it was time to check on the guardian again. Sandman was already heading into the hallways again before Jack caught his tiny wrist. The guardian looked up at the boy and narrowed his eyes.

"I'll take care of it Sandy." He whispered resuming walking to her room. All was as silent as it was before.

"So let's see what that book of yours has to say." Jack murmured to himself as he pushed open the door. The lamp light was shinning dimly in the room but something was peculiar. He tip toed into the room and searched the same table her book was rested on last time but nothing was there.

"Where'd you keep it?" He breathed searching over her completely covered body. Suddenly his staff fell out of his hand and tapped the windowsill which immediately spread onto the bed covers in an icy flora design.

"Oh no! No! I'm so sorry!" Jack garbled audibly throwing the covers off as quickly as possible before it was frozen solid. His heart skipped a beat. Beverly wasn't there are he assumed. The bitter wind of the North Pole slipped into the slightly opened window.

"Where'd she go?" He said to himself.

Meanwhile, Beverly returned back to Burgess where she found the hole that Pitch lived in. Her boats were soggy with slush and her jacket failed to keep the snow out. Her hair was drenched in white snow and her cheeks flushed in an icy pink. She peeked into the hole uncertain whether or not to enter it.

"Hello? Hello! Pitch? Am I supposed to jump in or something because last time, it wasn't a nice landing. HELLLOOOO?" She shouted into the infinitely darkened hole.

"Hey, wanna give me a hand—or a hoof?" She asked the reindeer. It shook its head wide eyed.

"Aw come on! Don't be such a coward. Just hold onto the rope and I'll just climb down." She replied pushing it towards the hole but without knowing she pushed a bit too far making them both slip into the hole. Although the reindeer was able to fly it continued to fall. With a soft thud to the ground Beverly searched around to the yelp of the reindeer.

"Thanks for the soft landing." She groaned rubbing her head as she towed herself to her feet. Suddenly there was a screech and a movement in the darkness. She could already feel the churning surge of fear that crept into her even if she knew who it was. The reindeer kicked and escape her tight grip and pranced back to the moonlight.

"Wait! Wait come back! I don't have a way back home!" She yelled trying to grab its foot.

"No worries, I'll give you a ride." A voice bellowed. She swung her head to meet the Boogeyman who was listlessly emerging from the shadows.

"How so?"

"How do you think I get around so quickly?" He asked circling her again.

"The shadows."

"Exactly! Not bad, you do know quite a lot about me." He teasingly said.

"Why did you give me nightmares?" She retorted.

"It's my nightmares! Did you like it?" He grinned whispering in her ear.

"It's your past, isn't it? It's how you became the Boogeyman." She asked. "You had a daughter? Do you know where she is?"

"She's Mother Nature." He muttered.

"Mother Nature? Have you talked to her afterwards?" She inquired feeling pity for him.

"I wish— but The Man On The Moon erased her memories when she became a guardian." He said. "Now I'm a blank canvass. I have no family, no hope, I'm stuck in the darkness and my fate is written. I am the Nightmare King."

"But why did you show me your past?" She asked following him through the endless paths.

"Because you're the only one who understands." He exclaimed turning around to face her.

"Understands what?"She muttered.

"You understand that everyone is made from their past. You understand that not everyone is born the way they are. You understand that I need your help." He murmured holding her shoulders in his hand.

"What are you trying to get at Pitch?" She replied ignorantly.

"That's what I like about you. You get straight to the point. All I'm asking is for a bit of people to notice me and I— I can give you what you've been looking for. You want to know who you are? You want to know what you can do, what your powers are? I have the answers for your problems and you have the answers to mine." He explained. His words were slowly sinking into her mind.

"You know about me?" She asked serenely.

"That book you have, it holds the fate and karma of everyone's lives. You write in it, everything happens." He answered.

"That's stupid." She denies.

"Go on! Write in it and see for yourself." He requested.

She listlessly pulled out the hardcover wrecked book from underneath her drenched coat. She took the pen the hung from its edge and wrote a sentence as the Boogeyman watched.

"Well, what did you write?" He asked enthusiastically. His feet begun to rise above the ground and within a few seconds he shot to the ceiling and fell back face first to the ground. He moaned holding the side of his head and picking himself to his knees. The guardian slyly smiled and snickered.

"I guess you're right." She chuckled lending her hand out to him.

"Oh you know how to have some fun but did you know that you deicide the world would end." He added on towing him to his feet. "And that's where I need your help. You and I were meant to be together. Like I said before, you have the answers to my problems and I have the answers to yours."

"I know exactly where this going. You played the same cards with the others. I'm not an idiot like them to fall for your tricks!" She shouted. Pitch's eyes widened.

"But wait, I'm serious! I'm not evil like they say!" He shouted but before he resumed explaining she seeped through the wall as she did before and took a gasp of air when she returned to the frozen lake.

"I guess I'll walk my way home." She shuddered rubbing her arms as she headed for the city lights.

The Christmas lights blinked on and off. Everyone was asleep; she felt the silence speak to her. She felt lonely, she didn't care if the children ever saw her but she felt abandoned. Abnormal compared to the others. She was different in the way she looked, acted and even thought. Pitch's memories hammered in her mind. He had a horrible past but he seems so kind and gentle as to what everyone has told her._He's evil and as sinister as theFearlings that attacked him! Don't believe him! He's only a merciless creature that will do nothing but hurt others! _

Just as Beverly thought she was the only spirit outside, a little boy struggled to pick something shiny off the floor. The guardian laughed at his adorable struggle but suddenly something honked loudly across the street. She saw a dim light which flickered and brightened as it came.

"A car. A CAR!"she yelled at the boy trying to push him but then realizing she couldn't touch him.

"There's a car! Can't you hear me?" She yelled noticing a little metal thing in his ear. He was deaf. The honk continued to bellow out continuously. The vehicle slid and slipped on the slush that was improperly shovelled.

"Someone! Someone help! You idiot move!" She said trying to kick snow at him and attempted to push him but always failing. The honk was loud enough to awaken the dead yet he never heard. Out of the blues, black sand blew through the wind and twirled into the car. It slide to the tires and made the car jerk to a complete stop.

"Oh my Lord! Jeremy!"A woman cried hugging the frightened boy who stared at the car. It was only a meter away from him.

Beverly noticed something familiar about the black sand. She turned around feeling his murky yet warm presence. He spiritlessly glanced at her with his amber eyes, as though completely nothing happened.

"You saved him?"

"I'm not evil enough to take away a child's life you know," He murmured continuing to walk away.

"So what'd you say about helping you?" She asked, a smirk growing over her lips.


End file.
